Apparatus for separating genuine and spurious coins



4 Sheets-Sheet l w 1 I I 7 Sept. 6, *1938. F. E. A. WALLIN El AL APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING GENUINE AND SPURIOUS COINS Filed Aug. 17, 1936 Sept. 6, 1938. F. E. A. WALLIN ET AL 2,129,512

APPARATUS FOR SEP ARATING GENUINE AND SPURIOUS COINS Filed Aug. 17, 1936 4 Sheets-Shget 2 Jib ' radii/Z )fwllizz/ v JZZII'Z 7170mm 43 Carl 6 fling an Sept. 6, 1938.

F. E. A. WALLIN T 2,129,512

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING GENUINE AND SPURIOUS COINS Filed Aug. 17, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 6, 1938. F. E. A. WALLIN ET AL APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING GENUINE AND' SPURIOUS COINS Filed Aug. 1'7, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented 6, 1938 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING GENUINE AND SPURIOUS COINS Fred E. A. Wallin, Chicago, Kurt T. Johnson, Palatine, and Carl G. Johnson, Chicago, lll., assignors to N. Marshall Seeburg, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 17, 1936, Serial No. 96,413

5 Claims.

paratus is also applicable to the separation of genuine United States nickels from coins, slugs and tokens manufactured from different metals and alloys, and may also be adapted to accept Canadian nickels as well as United States nickels.

In so far as our apparatus relates to the sepa-' ration of nickel coinage'from other coins, slugs and tokens, it is similar to the apparatus de* scribed and claimed in our copending application Serial No. 96,412, filed August 17, 1936. Certain parts of the apparatus are common to the nickel coinage device and to the silver coinage device as will hereinafter appear.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved device for separating silver coins from coins, slugs or tokensof other metals or alloys.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved coin separator in which the coin is subjected to a moving field and is projected into a suitable receptacle by its response to said field, which response depends upon the electrical conductivity, the mass of the coin and other intrinsic properties of the metal of which the coin is fabricated, and which response varies with eachparticular metal or alloy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coin separator adapted to receive coinsof different denominations and a common actuator to control the testing of all the coins.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view of a coin separating apparatus adapted, for example, to receive nickels, dimes and twenty-five cent pieces;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus looking towards the front;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view of the apparatus taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. dis a sectional detail view taken on the line 6'-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the silver coin and slug chutes;

Fig. 9 is a wiring diagram showing the nickel coin control circuit;

Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram showing the silver coinage control circuit; and

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which coins or slugs of various metals are projected by the moving field.

Referring to the drawings, the coin separating apparatus may suitably comprise a cabinet l0 provided with slots ll, l2 and I3 for the receptionof nickels, dimes and quarters respectively. A handle I4 is mounted on the exterior of the cabinet ill to be rotated after the coin is inserted in one of the slots. The cabinet is provided with a return cup l5 into which rejected coins are passed so that they may be retrieved by the inserter. Downwardly inclined coin chutes l6, l1 and i8 project from the cabinet ill for the purpose of conveying genuine nickels, dimes and quarters to any suitable coin operated device or to any suitable receptacles for them. It is to be understood that the coin separator may be used for the purpose of determining the genuineness' of coins. It may also be associated with any coin freed mechanism so as to render the same capable of being actuated only by genuine coins.

The handle it is carried by a shaft l9 which projects into the cabinet ill and has a bearing in a boss 2t carried on the inside of the front wall of the cabinet. An arm 2! which'serves as a nickel coin carriage is rigidly mounted on the shaft iii. The coin carriage 2| has a radial slot 22 which is normally in alignment with the slot ii so that the coin inserted through this slot ii drops into the position shown in dash and dotted-lines in Fig. 3 within the coin carriage. The coin carriageis normally held in this position by means of a spring 23, which causes the .carriage to abut against a stop 24. This stop is an integral part of a sliding frame 25; This frame is mounted on the inner side of the cabinet by means of screws 26, which extend freely through slots 21 in the frame.

The frame 25 is biased by a spring 28 so that it is caused to move to the left as shown in Fig. 2 when the carriage 2| is moved away fromits normal position. The result of this movement of the frame 25 is to introduce a portion 29 into alignment with the slot I I so that a further'coin cannot be inserted until the carriage returns to its normal position and returns the frame 25 to the position shown in Fig. 2. It will. be understood that in order to attain this relationship,

the spring 23 is considerably stronger than the spring 28 so that the latter is only able to move the frame 25 to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 when the carriage 2| is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 by the actuation of the handle l4.

The rear end of the slot 22 is closed by a sheet of insulation 30 which is mounted on the carriage 2| by means of screws 3|. These screws are rigidly mounted in the sheet of insulation 30 and they are freely slidable in bores 32 formed in the carriage 2|, the heads of the screws being received in enlarged portions of the bores. Springs 33 abutting against shoulders in the bores and against the heads of the screws cause the plate 30 to be drawn forwardly into the position shown in Fig. 7. The plate 30 supports a stud 34 which is suitably of silver at a position so that it is engaged by a coin of the right size inserted in the carriage.

In Fig. '7 is shown a coin 35 located in the carriage in alignment with the slot II. It will be noted that when the carriage is moved away from the stop 24, the coin will be brought into engagement with an inclined surface 36 and the plate 30 will be moved rearwardly against the pressure exerted by the springs 33. ment of the carriage continues, the coin is brought into contact with a sector 31, which is insulated from the cabinet. The sector 31 carries a peripheral flange 38 and terminates at a position 39 at which the coin is free to fall from the carriage 2|.

Mounted on the rear face of the plate 30 is a heating element 40 which consists of a coil to which current is supplied by conductors 4| and 42. This coil is insulated from the stud 34 by means of a thin piece of insulation 43 and is adapted to heat this stud to a definite constant temperature. When a coin is introduced into the carriage 2| and the handle I 4 is rotated, a thermocouple is constituted between the coin and the stud 34. The stud 34 is connected to a conductor 44 and the sector 31, with which the coin also makes contact, has a conductor 45 connected thereto. Consequently, a certain thermocouple voltage will be developed which will depend upon the nature of the metal in contact with the stud 34. The manner in which this voltage is employed will be described hereafter in connection with Fig. 9.

In its initial position, that is the position shown in Fig.2, the coin carriage 2| is adapted to engage a switch leaf 46 and separate it from another switch leaf 41. When the carriage 2| is moved from this initial position, these two switch leaves make contact with results which will hereinafter be described in connection with Fig. 10.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 6, it will be understood that the coin which drops from the carriage 2| at the position 39 falls into a coin chute 48. This coin chute leads back to the cup l5. Slightly below the position 39, the gate 50 is provided, which may form part of the wall of the chute 48 leading to the chute 49. When, however, the gate 50 is swung into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, the coin will be diverted into the genuine coin chute I 6 previously referred to. The gate 50 is rigidly mounted on a pivot pin 5|, the outer end of which is extended in the form of an arm 52, the end of which is turned outwardly into a slot 53 in an arm 54 carried by an armature 55 of an electromagnet 56. The arm 52 abuts against a stop 5'! and it is normally held against this stop by the tension of a spring 58 which is connected to the armature As the moveat the position 39 will drop into the genuine coin chute l6. When the magnet 56 is energized to a' degree less than that provided by a genuine coin, the armature 55 will not be attracted and the coin will be diverted into the spurious coin chute 49.

As will hereinafter be described, the electromagnet 56 becomes energized immediately the coin clears the sector 31. The gate 59 is located a short distance below the position 39 so that, in the case of a genuine coin, the gate 50 will have attained its dotted line position and has not receded therefrom at the time the coin reaches the gate position.

The thermoelectric couple produced by contact of the coin 35 with the heated stud 34 is used to control the energization of the magnet 56. Thus this couple may be used to actuate directly a sensitive relay which in turn permits a stronger current to energize the electromagnet 56. Or the current from the thermoelectric couple may be passed through a suitable amplifier and the amplified current may be used to energize the electromagnet 56. Both these manners of operation are discussed at length in our copending application referred to above and we, therefore, disclose only the latter method of operation for the sake of completeness.

Referring to Fig. 9, which is a wiring diagram of the nickel coin separating device, it will be noted that the conductors 4| and 42 of the heating coil 40 are connected directly to conductors 59 and-6|! which are connected to the power lines. The resistance of the heating element 46 is suflicient'to keep the stud 34 at a suitable temperature, for example, a temperature around 200 F.

The stud 34 is connected by its conductor 44 to the primary winding 6| of a transformer 62. The sector 31 is connected by the conductor 45 to the other end of this primary. The primary 6| of the transformer 62 may suitably have a resistance of .13 ohm, and the secondary 63 may have a resistance of 2010 ohms.

One end of the secondary 63 is connected through .OOOI microfarad condenser 64 to the grid of a 6-J-7 tube 65. is connected to the grid of a 25-A-6 tube 66 by a conductor 61. The plate of the tube 66 is connected to the winding of the electromagnet 56 and the other end of this winding is connected to a conductor 68. A primary of a transformer 69 is connected across the alternating power lines 59 and 60. This transformer has two secondaries l0 and II. The winding 10 provides current of 6.3 voltage for heating the filament of the tube 65. The winding provides 25 volt current for heating the filaments of tube 66 and 12. The tube 12 is a 25-Z 6 rectifier tube connected as a voltage doubler. This tube has two filaments and two plates. One plate 13 is connected to the line 59 and to the cathode 14, which is associated with the other plate 15. The plate 15 is connected by a conductor 16 to the heated cathode of the tube 65. The other cathode ll of the tube 12 is connected to the conductor 69.

The primary of the transformer 69 is shunted The plate of this tube by a .01 microfarad condenser 18. The conductor 68 is connected to the power line 60 through a condenser 19 which has a capacity of 4 microfarads. The conductor 16 is connected to the power line 68 through a condenser 80,which has a capacity of 8 microfarads. The conductor 68 grid of the tube 65, is negative and the grid is positive.

When the coin clears the stud 34 at the position 39, the primary winding 8| is deenerglzed and the decrease of flux in the core causes a sudden flow of current, which is arranged to make the left hand plate of the condenser 64 negative.

The right hand plate of the condenser 64 becomes positive and the grid of the tube 65 becomes negative and flow of current through the tube 65 is suddenly arrested. Consequently, the voltage of the grid of the plate 66 increases suddenly and a very large momentary current flows through the plate circuit of this tube, which circuit includes the electromagnet 56.

In the case of a genuine United States nickel,

this current is sufilcient to energize the magnet 56 and this energization is sufficiently strong to causethe magnet 56 to attract the armature 55 and cause the gate 50 to'swing so as to divert the coin into the genuine coin chute l8. If the coin is not genuine, the thermionic current is insumcient thus to throw the gate, and the coin falls into the spurious coin chute 48. As indicated above, the United States nickel gives a thermionic couple which yields a higher voltage than any ordinary metal or alloy. This current is somewhat higher than that given by a Canadian nickel, which is substantially pure nickel, and the sensitivity of the device may be so arranged that a Canadian nickel is discarded with the spurious coins and slugs. However, if desired. the sensitivity of the apparatus may be arranged so that the Canadian nickel is diverted into the genuine coin chute just like an American nickel.

'The portions of the apparatus for controlling the silver coins inserted in the slots l2 and I3 are substantially similar and one of' them will be described in detail, similar reference numerals being applied to the corresponding parts of the other silver coin tester. v

The slots H and I2 each communicate with a chute 8| which terminates near an electrical device 82, which is capable of establishing a moving field. The inserted coin is arrested in the position shown in Fig. 5 by means of a pin 83. The pin 83 is constituted by the outwardly di-. rected hooked end of a bell crank lever 84. The upper ends of these bell crank levers are bent inwardly over the shaft l9 as shown in Fig. 2. These upper ends carry. flanges 85 which are adapted to be engaged by pins 86 on the shaft l9 when said shaft is rotated to its fullest extent by the handle Hi. The levers 84 are pivotally mounted at 81 with the result that the pins 83 are withdrawn inwardly away from the coin when the handle i4 is thus turned.

When the pins are thus withdrawn, the coin proceeds to fall by gravity into a slot 88 in the electrical device 82 in which it is subjected to the moving field. As best shown in Fig. 5 by the arrow 89, this field is arranged to move rearwardly and the eifect it has on the coin or slug depends upon the physical characteristics of the metal of which the coin or slug is made. In the case of a good conductor, such as a disc of copper, the disc. is thrown rearwardly or to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5. In the case of coin silver, which has a higher resistance than copper, the projection of the coin to the right is less than that in the case of pure copper. A disc of aluminum is also thrown strongly to the right, because although its resistance is relatively high and the currents induced in it are weaker than those that are induced in the silver coin, still the inertia of the aluminum disc is so much smaller than that of the silver coin that the aluminum disc is subjected to a still stronger lateral movement. In the case of alloys or other metals, of which the specific resistance is relatively high, the discs fall practically straight down with very little lateral displacement to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 11, we have shown diagrammatically the course of coins or discs of various metals or alloys. Thus it is noted that the copper and aluminum discs are projected furthest to the right and are arranged to drop into a chute 90, which conducts these coins to the return cup I5. Discs of copper and aluminum are thrown so far to the right that they clear a strip of metal 9! which extends obliquely over the top of the chute 98. The path of the silver coin is as shown in Fig. 11, with the result that they drop into the chute 90 to the left of the strip of metal 8|, with the result that they fall into this chute and hence to the return cup l5.

The chutes 90 and 92 and the strip of metal 9| are shown in more compact relation in Fig.. 3, and it will be understood that the operation is precisely the same as that shown in more extended relation in Fig. 11.

The electrical device 82, which creates the moving field, remains to be described. Any suitable device which creates a-traveling field may be employed in this relation. Such a device may comprise electromagnets provided with shaded poles and supplied with alternating current, as will readily be understood by those skilled in this art. However, we prefer to employ an arrangement of electromagnets, such as is commonly employed in induction watt hour meters and in certain phonograph motors. Such meters and motors depend for their operation upon a revolving or traveling field, and they operate upon a disc which rotates in a slot in the electromagnet device which is analogous to the slot Discs of other metal, such as brass, have a more vertical path,

'91. The core 93 and the core 95 are mounted upon a frame 98,- which is supported in any suitable way within thecabinet ill. The windings 94, 96 and 91 are connected to a source of alternating current, for example, the leads 99 and Hill, in the manner shown in Fig. 10.

We connect the switch leaves 46 and 41 in the lead I so that the windings 94, 96 and 91 are not energized except when the coin carriage is moved away from its initial position. The two windings 94 are connected in series across the two leads 99 and Hill and the four windings 96, 91, 96 and 91 are connected in series between the two leads 99 and Hill. The windings are arranged so that the field moves in the direction indicated by arrows in Fig. 10, which is the rearward direction, with respect to the front face of the machine. This direction may be reversed, if necessary, by merely moving the armature 95 through 180 upon its mounting.

Owing to the relatively small windings 96 and 91, the phase of the flux resulting from the alternating current is substantially the same as the phase of the current. The induction of the windings 94 is preferably sufficient to produce a lag of 90 in the fiux from the core 93. As a result of the composition of these two fluxes, the field moves outwardly in a continuous manner in the direction of the arrows and thecoin or slug is moved in that direction to some extent.

The degree of movement depends upon two factors. The strength of the eddy currents produced in the coin or disc in this field depends 35 upon the conductivity of the metal or alloy of which the disc is made. This is the prime factor and another factor is introduced in the case of aluminum discs which have a relatively small mass, with the result that the reaction generated between the field and the relatively small eddy currents is able to carry the aluminum disc further-than a similar disc of silver coinage in which greater currents are generated.

A copper disc will be thrown further than a disc of silver coinage metal also, but practically all other metals or alloys, owing to their relatively low conductivity and high mass, will not be carried laterally as far as a silver coin. Thus a brass slug will fall downwardly with very little deviation from the vertical. The difl'erent deflections of coins or discs of various metals can be used to separate them in very simple manner. For the sake of compactness, we prefer to locate the inclined surface of the metal strip 9| so that it will be struck fairly by a genuine coin with the result that that coin is diverted into the chute 92. The copper or aluminum disc is carried past the strip 9i and drops into the chute 90. Discs of other metals or alloys drop 60 directly into the chute 90 or hit the forward face of the strip metal 9i so that they are diverted into that chute.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description. In the case that a nickel is inserted in the appropriate opening, it falls into the carriage 2| and after the carriage is rotated, it drops into the chute [6 if genuine and into the chute 49 if spurious. 'When a silver coin is inserted into the appropriate opening, it drops down the chute and is arrested by the pin 83. The handle I4 is now rotated with the result that the switch leaves 46 and 41 come into contact and energize the windings 94, 96 and 91 by alternating current and remain thus energized until the carriage 2| is allowed to return to its initial position. When the handle I4 is rotated to the end of its stroke, the pins 99 come into contact with the leaves 94 with the result that the pins 83 are withdrawn and the inserted coin is allowed to drop into the moving field with the results above described.

Although the invention has been described in connection with the specific details of a preferred embodiment thereof, it must be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention, except in so far as set forth in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus for separating genuine and spurious coins, a coin carriage adapted to receive a coin, a heated contact on said carriage adapted to establish a thermo-couple with the coin, a handle for rotating said carriage into coin releasing position, a coin diverter for controlling the disposition of the released coin, means including .electromagnetic devices controlled by. said thermo-couple for actuating said diverter, an electrical device for producing a moving field, means for inserting a coin in said field, and a switch for controlling the supply of energy to said device adapted to be closed by said handle.

2. In an apparatus for separating genuine and spurious coins, a coin carriage adapted to receive a coin, a heated contact on said carriage adapted to establish a thermo-couple with the coin, a handle for rotating said carriage into coin releasing position, a coin diverter for controlling the disposition of the released coin, means including electromagnetic devices controlled by said thermo-couple for actuating said diverter, an electrical device for producing a moving field means for inserting a coin in said field, an element for arresting said coin above said field, a switch for controlling the supply of energy to said device adapted to be closed by said handle in its initial movement, and means actuated by said handle in a later part of its movement for withdrawing said element to allow the coin to drop intosaid field.

3. In an apparatus for separating genuine and spurious coins, a coin carriage adapted to receive a coin, a heated contact on said carriage adapted to establish a thermo-couple with the coin, a handle for rotating said carriage into coin releasing position, a coin dive'rter for controlling the disposition of the released coin, means including electromagnetic devices controlled by said thermo-couple for actuating said diverter, an electrical device for producing a moving field means for inserting a coin in said field, an element for arresting said coin above said field, a switch for controlling the supply of energy to said device adapted to be closed by said handle in its initial movement, means actuated by said handle in a later part of its movement for withdrawing said element to allow the coin to drop into said field, and a plurality of means for receiving different coins depending upon the throw imparted thereto by said field.

4. In an apparatus for separating genuine and spurious coins, an armature having a high inductive winding, an armature in opposition thereto having a low inductive winding, said armatures being spaced to provide a coin receiving slot in which a field moves in one direction having a horizontal component, means for supplying alternating current to said windings, means for delivering a coin into said slot, and means below said armatures for selectively collecting coins in a horizontal component, means for supplying alternating current to said windings in parallel, means for delivering a coin'into said slot, and

means below said annatures for selectively collecting coins in accordance with the lateral 5 throw imparted thereto by said moving field.

FRED E. A. .WALLIN. KURT T. JOHNSON. CARL G, JOHNSON. 

